The battle over the ban on urban camping in Sacramento has forced the city to come up with new solutions.

"There's 2,000 homeless people on the streets on any given night," Safe Ground Sacramento Sister Libby Fernandez said. "If you can do 100 at a time, eventually you'll have zero.”

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Fernandez is teaming up with city council members Jay Schenirer, Steve Hansen and Jeff Harris to explore options for a Safe Ground, where the homeless can live in wooden cabins like the one on 12th street, and receive services until they find permanent housing.

"I don't think there's ever going to be one solution because we're all different human beings," said David Andre, who has been homeless for nine years. "But, this is going to be a good first step."

The initial challenge is making the homeless - and their pets - feel safe.

"There's not a lot of places where I can bring my dog to where I can stay with him," said Donald Turner, who has been homeless for 14 years.

Safe Ground advocates want the city to consider multiple options - including vacant lots along Bannon Street - and city-owned Redwood Park, which features working bathrooms.

"I'm very glad to see that the city is taking a look at different options now," said James Clark, who has been homeless for 10 years.

But in the working class neighborhood near Redwood Park, the prospect of having a homeless camp nearby has created some pushback from residents.

"We already got a whole creek over here that has homeless people," Lawrence Blaylock said. "And, they don't clean up after themselves.”

But given the standoff at city hall over Sacramento's ban on urban camping, council member Schenirer believes the time to act is now.

"The homeless are in everyone's backyard right now," Schenirer said. "And I think, this is a city issue that we need to take on collectively. And so, I trust the city will step up and do that.”

Schenirer said he plans to visit Seattle to see the Safe Ground there. Joining him will be Sacramento city council members Hansen and Harris, as well as Fernandez. It is considered a fact-finding mission - and they want to find out what might work for Sacramento.

Schenirer said the group may also explore Los Angeles and Salt Lake City, and plans to leave around Feb. 15.